Darkness Rising (IC/Closed)

[Music]

Darkness Rising

A Pokemon Roleplay

Cainus Sakaki, better known as Gold, glancing around at the classy apartment that he called his own, slumped into his couch's deep cushions. Then, restless, he jumped up and paced to the window, where he stared across the streets of Saffron City.

Not that he could see much of it. The tall buildings that filled the darkened city shielded his view and brought with it the dismal sounds, sights, smells of such an urbanized place. And he hated it. He hated how unclean the world was. And about what he wanted to do to fix it. Burn it to the ground. Shine a light across the world that would reveal all that was light and clean and good.

Gold heard a noise behind him. A splashing noise. He turned to stare at the Gorebyss in the gigantic water tank that was supplanted into the wall between the kitchen and the main room. The Pokemon swan against the glass, making faces. He glared back at it. Then he snapped once. Another Pokemon appeared.

"Sceptile." He said the name without looking. "I have a task for you. When the others arrive, I want you to stick around. You're powerful, but not terribly bulky. Wouldn't want to get in anyone's way." He smirked slightly with those words.

The others would stay in their Pokeballs on his belt. No need to trouble with them.

Everything was ready. He had eaten and he was wearing a comfortable shirt and slacks.

Time to wait for his evil minions to arrive.

[Maestro]

Arms crossed, legs overlapping and propped up on his desk, he couldn't help but tap his pen impatiently as he stared at the computer screen, a blank expression on his face. Another year had come to a close, and the gates of the Elite Four were shutting out the world after months of endless battles and competition finally ended. A new champion had been crowned and inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ and the public eye was now drawn to new pressing matters – like the upcoming excitement of a new year full of tough battles and new discoveries. But that was the least of Lukyan’s (also pronounced Lucian or nicknamed simply Luke) concerns for he couldn’t help but feel something was terribly wrong – like the balance of the world was in jeopardy.

It had been nearly five years since he saw through the execution of Giovanni and even then he felt it wasn’t over yet. Team Rocket had caused destruction and mayhem for years so it was such a shock to finally have it all come to a conclusion - although what was the worst that could really happen? Granted the monster left behind a wife and a couple of kids but it all seemed to check out and there was no way they were capable enough of doing anything rash. And for the most part anyone connected to Team Rocket was locked away and is now safely behind bars where they belong. But still, there was an eerie feeling in the air and Lukyan was set upon finding out its origin.

Never had he taken a stroll out in the open or even been seen outside the grandest stage of them all – The Elite Four – but the New Year brought about many changes and opportunities. Never did he admit to himself though that he lived in fear that one day Team Rocket would make him pay for the justice he delivered to their founder, Giovanni. Lukyan couldn't help but always be on his guard, weary of his surroundings and the trainers that wanted nothing more than his head on a platter. For someone of his authority and standing, there would always be someone who wanted him dead or humiliated, but luckily there was no one strong enough to complete the task - or so he arrogantly believed.

Broke from his trance, the door to his office swung open, and a man of little note stepped in, informing him that the time to depart had arrived. Sighing softly to himself and unfolding his legs, he stood up and brushed off the finely tailored white suit that he was wearing in a smug fashion. ”Very well I suppose...” He said plainly, his eyes reverting to the ground where a joyous Blissey marched happily in place, pleased with one’s self. ”Yes it’s finally over; time to relax now.” Patting the Blissey gently on her head, he took the Pokeball from his desk, returning the Pokemon to her rightful place before opening his brief case. Placing the Pokeball inside to complete the set – of six – he closed the case and stepped out of the room.

Briskly he made his way down the long corridor where he was met by two large glass doors, and standing there were several men in black suits who were intent on leading him out. The sun beating down on him and blinding him, he covered his face and looked up, squinting as he stared at the stadium that towered over him. It was a beautiful sight, one he would miss until the following year. Gliding down the concrete steps, he looked up one last time before he vanished behind dark tinted windows – slipping inside the back of a limousine that casually drove out the front gates.

[LawOfTheLand]

"A party? Oh, I'd love to go...but Saffron City? Isn't that, like, in Johto or something?"

Displaying her full ignorance of basic geography, Sandy was gabbing on her cell phone as usual for this time of night. Calling Veilstone City one's home was a right usually reserved for the well-off and those that might be politely referred to as "high rollers." Sandy was that rare case of a person with one foot in the world of the lucky and the other in that of those that made their own luck.

After getting slightly sauced at the casino, it was time for bed, but this girlfriend of hers--she was too buzzed to remember at the moment--seemed very insistent on her being in attendance at this party. Hell, knowing her, referring to any social gathering as a "party" was a good way to increase the chances of her attending.

Out in the back lot, her Gabite and Graveler were wrestling playfully, each trying to win but both more knowledgeable than to actually use their attacks on each other. After a few minutes, the latter decided to simply sit on the former, which proved the winning move. "All right, you two, back into your balls," she shouted upon seeing the somewhat unusual spectacle, and they obliged.

After deciding upon a semi-formal dark green dress which complemented her eyes and played down her massive melons for the occasion as well as stuff to wear for around the town, she eventually reached her hotel in "the city that's too big for one Gym." The red-eye flight had left her shagged out, but she was overdue for a vacation after all that training, and getting to sample the night life of other regions was a bonus.

She practically dragged herself up the stairs before arriving at the door to the apartment of this Gold fellow. Knocking on the door, she was surprised to find a Sceptile answering it, but a quick look around and a quicker gulp of water from her thermos soon proved that this wasn't a repeat of that time where that guy that invented the Pokemon Box system--Bill, was it?--had gotten himself jumbled with a Pokemon, which was all over the news. There was the guy who was throwing the party, sunk so far into the couch cushions that one would think he had taught himself Ingrain.

"Hi there, Gold. I came as soon as I got your invitation," she said rather shyly. He looked a bit out of her age range, but he was attractive enough. "So...oh, that's such an adorable Gorebyss in the tank there!" Completely forgetting what she was going to say (a sadly typical behavior) she went over to get a closer look, completely ignorant of her host and the likelihood of other Trainers coming in to the unusual sight.

[Nautsabes]

"Stupid bastard," Sebastian mutters, chucking a rock out over the street from the roof he's sitting on. "He's probably as smug as a motherfucker right about now," he hypothesizes as he throws the last rock. Somewhere down below glass shatters and a dog starts barking. Sebastian leans back, looking up at the sky. The star light is drowned out by the city light. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. "I feel as if I could vomit. It's disgusting. I can't believe her behaviour, it's so childish." He opens his eyes and blows a puff of air out, making a 'Ffeh' sound. "You can't blame me for feeling like I do. No one can, it's completely understandable, unlike her behaviour. I learned to move on, why can't she?" Sebastian rolls his head to the side and looks at Virgil, his Dragonite and friend for life, even if it is just a dumb Pokemon.

Virgil has always been with Sebastian ever since he was a child, even longer really. His father caught him as a Dratini shortly before Sebastian was born and when Sebastian was five year old, his father handed the Dratini off to him, who named him Virigil. Why? Fuck if he knows, he was five at the time. As Sebastian grew older and became more sadistic he began to 'release the pressure' on Virigil and would beat him and other things of that nature, but Virgil being the ever loyal friend took it all and continues to stand by Sebastian's side. He's covered in scars, rough, dry skin, and is overall very starved looking as Sebastian doesn't make it a priority to feed him, but he gets by, eating out of garbage cans and the occasional stray dog and cat and he loves Sebastian, more than he will probably ever comprehend.

Sebastian sits back up and folds his legs under him, turned towards Virgil, looking down, letting his hair hang over his face. "Can't she see how much this hurts me? I understand that she wants answers but she's behaving in a risky manner." Virgil breaks his stare out into the distance and watches Sebastian with his big, blue eyes. "She's moving things along too fast. She could have just like, you know, been all like going up to him and saying, you know, 'If you ever want a chance at friendship again I want some answers.' and she could have gotten her answers and then kicked him in the teeth and moved on with her life." Sebastian looks up and looks into Virgil's eyes. "Am I being selfish? Am I so wrong in thinking this?" His head drops again and he begins picking at the shingles.

Mindlessly flicking the bits of picked off shingle at Virgil, Sebastian turns and looks out over the building, looks out over the city. This is his favourite 'think spot', a secluded spot where he can look over the city, watching everything, and be alone, well, mostly alone. He stops picking at the roof and tilts his head to the side slightly, his brow is furrowed and the corner of his mouth twitches slightly into a slight and awkward crooked smile momentarily before he sighs and it stops. "This is severely annoying," he says flatly, "annoying and oh so tiring,".

Virgil snorts slightly and shakes his head quickly. Sebastian stands up slowly, not breaking his gaze out over the city. "Right, I suppose we should go see what she's up to, come on,". Virgil lowers himself slightly to let Sebastian climb on and then with a powerful jump he leaps off the roof, falling for a moment, before managing to take flight. They soar above the city streets and alleys, scanning for her in her usual places.

[Animality Opera]

A girl with bizarre hair made all the more odd with goggles atop her head stepped out from the game corner. The game corner in Saffron was not as big or nice as the one in Celadon, but was still a decent place to waste time. Ree had a lot of time to waste nowadays. A Haunter phased into visibility beside her. Blinking at it, she smiled. "Syde, how long have you been out of your ball..? You know they don't allow Pokemon in the game corner." Especially ghost and psychic Pokemon that could be used to cheat. It grinned its eerie, glowing smile in answer, licking her cheek with a long, pointed, black tongue. She shivered a little but giggled. "Heyyy, I'm serious! I want to win coins with my own luck, thank you." She started walking so as not to block the entrance to the game corner. Checking her PokeGear, she frowned. "Guh. We're going to be a little late. Ah, well. Cainus won't mind." So long as he doesn't know why. She laughed. Ree didn't have a gambling problem or anything, but was rather embarrassed about the time she spent at the game corner. With Team Rocket keeping on the down low, she hadn't had an exciting assignment in forever and found it difficult to keep busy. She wasn't the sort who could take long vacations. She always liked having something purposeful to do, even if it was something as trivial as accumulating game corner coins.
Her PokeGear vibrated briefly.
[SUP BRAH?] A text from Measha, a Rocket Agent in the Sevii Islands - Ree's best friend. She smiled.
[wasting my life away like usual. running late for that big important meeting thing.] She answered.
A minute later, a response. [o i c. GET ON THE BALL.] Ree laughed. Her and Measha loved getting after each other for things.
[kay, ttyl. <3] "Syde, quit hovering, your breath smells like blood and puke." She said lightly. The Haunter had been peering closely over her shoulder to stalk her texts. It laughed and made a couple flips in the air beside her before rubbing its cold, less-than-solid face up against her cheek. Syde was definitely her most affectionate Pokemon. "Nuhhh, where is this building anyway..." Ree was what she called 'directionally challenged'. Her dad had gotten her a GPS on her PokeGear for her birthday last year - what they both agreed was a very worthwhile investment. The standard regional map didn't much help her in the towns and cities.

[Nautsabes]

The city unsteadily rolls beneath the duo as Virgil flies at an uneven speed and altitude. Sebastian, holding onto one of the Dragonite's antennae, scans the streets as they fly past. She wasn't at the bridge, the warehouse, or her own apartment and the only place Sebastian had left to check was the game corner. Yet though, as he headed there, he couldn't help but have a nagging feeling pulling at the back of his skull, as if he was forgetting something. Something important. "Aw shit!" Sebastian exclaims, suddenly remembering. "Fuck! Meeting at C's joint." 'C' being Cainus, a simple code name he calls the boss-man by, and at this moment he was supposed to be at his apartment for a super secret meeting... or something.

Sebastian quickly yanks on Virgil's antenna, causing the beast to let out a short yelp but making it go faster. After a number of minutes the game corner comes into view and down the street from it Sebastian spots Ree wandering around fiddling with her Pokegear. Probably doesn't know where C's apartment is and is looking it up on the GPS. Sebastian remembers when she had first gotten that attachment. Ree had been very excited about it, claiming she will no longer be held down by the tyranny imposed by her lack of direction. Sebastian takes a deep breath and sends Dragonite down, flying through a clothing line along the way, and finally crashes into the ground, sending Sebastian flying off Dragonite. "Ow! Virgil you stupid fucking beast!" Sebastian shouts, getting up and running over and kicking Virgil as hard as he can in the ribs. "Can't you do anything right?" He kicks the animal once more who flinches slightly, a tear forming in his left eye as it sits there and takes the beating. After a moment Sebastian brushes his hair back and turns to face Ree. "Sup, brah." He says with a grin.